Advanced Materials for Low Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) offer high efficiency, quiet operation, reduced emissions, internal fuel reformation, and fuel flexibility, however current SOFCs are restricted to predominately stationary applications based on their high operating temperatures and expensive high temperature ceramics. SOFCs that operate at low temperatures (LT) (<550 degrees Celsius) can permit the use of lower cost materials and enable portable SOFC power systems to be developed. To meet the need for advanced materials and cell configurations for LT-SOFCs, Lynntech and University of Florida will combine highly ionically conducting bilayer electrolytes, highly active catalysts, and an innovate cell design to achieve LT-SOFC with high power densities at low operating temperatures (< 550 degrees Celsius). During the Phase I, cells using advanced materials will be fabricated and optimized to achieve high power densities at low operating temperatures, and planar cell designs will be developed. The cell's long-term performance on a model reformate gas stream will also be determined. In Phase II, a prototype, lightweight, low temperature SOFC stack will be fabricated and demonstrated.